the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第34节
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Hard Court Championship of the World in 1921 when the latter was holder
of the title。
Tegner is a baseline player of fine style。 His strokes are long free
drives of fine pace and depth。 His service is hardly adequate for first flight
tennis； yet while his ground game cannot make up for the lack of
aggression in his net attack。 Tegner is not of championship quality at the
moment but his youth allows him plenty of time to acquire that
tournament experience needed to fill in the gaps in his game。 He is a cool；
clever court general and should develop rapidly within the next few years。
H。 L。 DE MORPURGO
The Italian champion； H。 L。 de Morpurgo； is a product of his own
country and England where he attended college。 He is a big； rangy man of
great strength。 He uses a terrific service of great speed but little control on
his first ball and an exaggerated American twist on the second of such
extreme contortion that even his great frame wears down under it。
His ground game is of flat drives that lack sufficient pace and accuracy
to allow him to reap the full benefit of his really excellent net attack。 His
volleying is very good owing to his great reach。 His overhead； like his
service； is hard but erratic。 Unfortunately he is slow on his feet and thus
loses much of the advantage of his large reach。 He seems to lack
confidence in his game but that should come with more experience。
A。 ZERLENDI
Tennis in Greece。 No！ not in ancient times but in modern； for that little
country has a remarkable little baseline star； by name A。 Zerlendi。 This
man is a baseliner of the most pronounced type。 He gets everything he can
put his racquet to。 He reminds me irresistibly of Mavrogordato； seemingly
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reaching nothing yet they all come back。 I cannot adequately analyse his
game because his first principle is to put back the ball no matter how； and
this he carries into excellent effect。 Zerlendi is a match winner first and a
stylist second。
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CHAPTER XVI。 THE COLONIES
Australasia
The death of that sterling sportsman； Anthony F。 Wilding； and the
natural decline in the playing powers of Norman E。 Brookes； owing to the
advance of years and his war experiences； leave Australasia （Australia and
New Zealand） in a somewhat uncertain condition regarding its tennis
prospects。
NORMAN E。 BROOKES
Volumes have been written about N。 E。 Brookes and his tennis genius；
but I would not feel right if I could not pay at least a slight tribute to the
greatest tennis player and genius of all time。
There is no need to dwell on Brookes' shots； his marvellous
mechanical perfection； his peculiar volleying style； his uncanny
anticipation。 All these are too well known to need my feeble description。
They are but the expression of that wonderful brain and dominant
personality that lie behind that sphinx… like face we know as Brookes'。
To see across the net those ever…restless； ever…moving eyes； picking the
openings in my never too… well guarded court； and know that against me is
pitted the greatest tennis； brain of the century； is to call upon me to
produce my best。 That is what my match with Brookes meant to me； and
still does to…day。 Brookes should be an inspiration to every tennis player；
for he has proved the power of mind over matter in tennis： 〃Age cannot
wither nor custom stale his infinite variety。〃
Brookes is the most eminently just man on a tennis court I have ever
met； for no excitement or emotion clouds his eyesight or judgment in
decisions。 He cannot abide bad decisions； yet he hates them quite as much
when they favour him as when they are against him。 I admit frankly I am a
great admirer of Brookes； personally and from every tennis sense。 He is a
master that I as a student of the game feel proud to study under。
GERALD PATTERSON
Australia's leading player； Gerald Patterson； is one of the most
remarkable combinations of tennis virtues and tennis faults； I have ever
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seen。
Patterson has a wonderful service。 He has speed； direction； control；
and all kinds of twist。 He hits his service consistently hard and puts it in。
His overhead is the most remarkable in the game。 He can kill from any
place in the court。 His； shot is clean； with little effort； yet carries terrific
speed。 His volleying above the net is almost faultless on his forehand。 He
has an excellent forehand drive that is very severe and consistent； but his
backhand 。 。 。 Where in all the rest of tennis history was there a first…class
man with a backhand so fundamentally wrong？ His grip is bad； he pulls up
on the ball and 〃loops〃 it high in the air。 I do not mean Patterson always
misses his backhand。 He does not。 He even makes remarkable shots off it
at times； but； if Patterson is pressed； his backhand is the first portion of his
game to crack； because it is hit inherently wrong。
Patterson relies mainly on speed to win matches。 He is not a strategist；
and finesse is not part of his tennis equipment。 He has a magnificent
physique； and relies largely on his； strength to carry him through a long
match and win in the end。
He is very quiet； and inclined to be somewhat careless on the court；
unless pressed； when his businesslike； determined play shows what a great
match player Patterson can become。 He produces his best game at the
crucial moment of the match。 Patterson is a superior match player to his
real tennis ability。 His is not truly a top…notch game。 It has superlative
features； but its whole texture is not of the finest。
Patterson owes much of his success in 1919 to Brookes； under whose
guidance he played。 The absence of the master mind directing his attack
proved a decided handicap in 1920； and Patterson's attack was not so
certain nor sustained as in the previous season。 Patterson's game plus
Brookes' strategy would be a great combination in one man。
PAT O'HARA WOOD
This young Australian is one of the greatest doubles players in the
world and bids fair to press the leading singles stars close。
Pat O'Hara Wood is a player without a weakness； yet also one without
a strength。 He is a typical all court player with no outstanding feature to
his game unless it be his volleying。 Pat Wood has a natural aptitude for
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doubles which at times seriously interferes with his singles game。
His service is a well placed speedy slice that he mixes up well。 It is not
a great delivery but very effective。 His ground strokes； taken on the rising
bounces； are flat drives； accurate and varied as to direction but lacking
punch。 He does not hit hard enough。 He is a brilliant volleyer； cutting off
at sharp angles the hardest drives。 His overhead is erratic。 At times he is
deadly overhead but is prone to lapses into uncertainty。 He is remarkably
quick and speedy of foot。 His sense of anticipation is magnificent。 His
generalship good； though not brilliant。 It is lack of punch； the inability to
put the ball away； that keeps Pat O'Hara Wood from the first flight in
singles。
Clever； blessed with a keen sense of humour； a sterling sportsman and
delightful opponent； Pat O'Hara Wood is a big asset to tennis and a man
who is needed in the game。 J。 C。 HAWKES
The youngest of the Australasian players and a boy of great promise is
Jack Hawkes。 He is only 22 and young in the game for his age。
Let me state now I do not approve of Hawkes' style。 His footwork is
wrong； hopelessly wrong and I fear that unless he corrects it； it may keep
him f
